ARLINGTON, Texas — The Arizona Diamondbacks are chasing their second World Series title in franchise history 22 years after the first.
This year, as the D-backs get ready to take on the Texas Rangers in the World Series, a connection to the 2001 team that beat the New York Yankees can still be felt.
World Series co-MVP Randy Johnson and World Series hero Luis Gonzalez both work in the front office for the D-backs.
And when you turn on the radio to listen to the D-backs in the World Series this year, you will hear the same voice that called Gonzalez's walk-off in 2001, the 'Gub-Nuh,' play-by-play voice Greg Schulte.
Schulte is set to retire at the end of this season and now will get to end his broadcasting career by calling his second World Series.
"It's super," Schulte said Thursday. "I'm so happy for the ballclub, the city of Phoenix, state of Arizona getting an opportunity. We did this in 2001, look how many years it took to get back. So, fortunate as I'm going out, get a chance to call another World Series game and I've either got four or seven in me."
Schulte also admitted that he never could have imagined his last season ending like this.
"We thought we were at least a good year, maybe two years out from becoming a pretty good ballclub and everything just seemed to fall into place," Schulte said.
Schulte added that he is doing his best to enjoy this ride and that it will be hard to watch baseball as a fan in the future.
"I enjoy before the ballgame usually and after a win," Schulte said. "I'm pretty fortunate. I don't know if I could sit in the stands like the fans do and watch a ballgame and not get nervous. Broadcasting the ballgame you've got a job to do. You get excited when your team's doing well and you kind of lay a little low when they're not doing so well. So I take that in mind but yeah, it's fun getting out here."
In a fun twist of fate, it turns out that the Rangers' home ballpark, Globe Life Field, is the last MLB ballpark that Schulte had not made it to.
"I think in my lifetime I've seen 56 Major League ballparks and this one, their first season was 2020," Schulte said. "My last season of traveling was 2019. So I thought you know the only way I'm gonna get in here is after I retire, you know, maybe come here for a vacation or something like that. But I'm blessed to get in here get another World Series win in and yeah, it's been unbelievable. It's been a great ride."
Full interview with Greg Schulte
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